Jane was a professional chef and married mom of two. She loved having people to her restaurant for dinner so she could try new recipes for friends and family. After cooking one night, an acquaintance who had once joined friends there entered Jane’s restaurant and raped her.

Afterwards–shocked, furious and numb all at the same time—Jane thought about what to do.

She had once gone with a friend to drop off donations for kids living at The Center for Women and Families domestic emergency shelter and she remembered learning about the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Clinic on the premises. She looked up The Center’s phone number and called the 24 hour crisis line. The crisis counselor Jane spoke to assured her there was help and explained some options.

Jane chose to go to the SANE Clinic so she wouldn’t have to wait to see a doctor in a chaotic emergency room lobby. There she met a specially trained nurse who performed her exam and spoke to an advocate who answered her questions and provided information about follow up counseling at The Center for Women and Families. At first she was unsure about whether she wanted to report the assault to police so she got information about that, too.

After a few counseling sessions Jane sought longer-term help at The Center, where her therapist reminded her that she wasn’t alone, and that, with time and persistence, she would continue to heal from the emotional and physical effects that resulted from the assault. With love and support from her husband and friends, and the energizing presence of her kids, Jane found she was right.